The Best Pedometers Do More Than Count Steps

With increasing research showing that too much sitting is bad for your health, there's more reason than ever to get off the couch and be more active.

One way to monitor your daily activity and progress towards your fitness goals is to use a pedometer. Classic pedometers that count daily steps have been around for decades, but newer, "smart" pedometers track other metrics, such as how many calories you burn and how far you walk, and some even connect with your social networks so you can share your activity with friends.

Pedometers often clip to your belt or waistband, which is the best place for them if you're looking to measure your steps (the pedometer works by sensing the back-and-forth movement of your legs). Users will likely want a lightweight pedometer that doesn't feel bulky or bounce around while walking or running. And pedometers that allow you to enter your weight and stride length can have more accurate step counts.

Pedometers can raise your awareness about physical activity, and may motivate some people to be more active. A 2007 study from researchers at Stanford found that people who wore a pedometer walked about 2,100 more steps a day than people who did not wear the devices.

However, experts caution that a pedometer by itself won't necessarily motivate everyone to be active. Other factors — such as being in an environment that makes it easy to walk around, and having friends who are active as well — are important contributors to an individual's activity, said Dr. Clay Marsh, chief Innovation officer at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

"The pedometer should reflect a happy, active lifestyle, more than drive it," Marsh said. Some people might get a motivation boost when they first start using a pedometer, but "after a while, it reflects what you do," Marsh said.

The Stanford study found that having a step goal was linked with an increase in physical activity, suggesting that goal setting may be important for motivation.

Although 10,000 steps a day is an often-cited number for how many steps people should take, the origins of the recommendation aren't exactly scientific. Pedometers sold in Japan in the 1960s were marketed under the name "manpo-kei," which translates to "10,000 steps meter", according to a 2004 paper in the journal Sports Medicine. Studies conducted more recently have found that people who increased their step count to 10,000 steps a day experienced health benefits such as reduced blood pressure.

Still, Marsh said users don't need to feel like they have to achieve 10,000 steps to be active.

"We just want people to get up, and get started," Marsh said. "Any amount of activity that you can do today that you didn’t do yesterday, you're probably going to start benefiting from it."

And setting expectations too high can have a negative effect, if people start feeling bad that they can't achieve the goal, Marsh said.

The Mayo Clinic recommends that pedometer users first set short-term goals, such as taking an extra 1,000 steps daily for one week, and building up to a long-term goal such as 10,000 steps.

While some devices may be more accurate at measuring steps than others, Marsh noted that as long as a device is consistent in the way it measures movement, it can be useful because it will show your progress.

"It's really comparing where I've been to where I am now. That’s more important than measuring each step I take," Marsh said.

People who are very active may be interested in other features besides step count, such as a GPS feature that tracks where you've run, or a sensor that tracks heart rate, Marsh said. However, these additional features typically make a device more expensive. Users should buy a device with the minimum number of features that they think they will benefit from, and make sure not to get one that's so complicated that they won't use it, Marsh said.

LiveScience's sister site TopTenREVIEWS conducts research on consumer products, including pedometers. Here are their top three picks:

The Fitbit family of activity trackers ranks first among pedometers. The least expensive of these trackers is the Fitbit Zip, which tracks steps, calories burned and distance walked, and has a simple, lightweight design with a touchscreen. The device is small enough to fit in your pocket, or clip to your belt loop or bra. Other members of the Fitbit family, including the Fitbit One and Fitbit Flex, also track sleep.

All of the devices from Fitbit have unlimited step counts, and let you create a profile with your age, height and weight, which helps Fitbit calculate your steps and calories you've burned.

An outstanding feature of Fitbit devices is the mobile application that lets you see your stats as well as compare your progress with that of your friends, which may be appealing if you have a competitive streak. The devices sync wirelessly with a mobile device or a computer.

One downside to the devices in this family is that they do not track swimming or biking activities.

The Yamax Power Walker EX-510 is notable for its sharp accuracy. Many pedometers over-count steps, but the Yamax Power Walker includes an "11 step filter," meaning it does not start counting until you've taken 11 steps. Although this means that very short walks won't count towards your progress, this feature makes the Yamax Power Walker one of the most accurate pedometers on the market.

The device also lets you enter your weight and stride length for more accurate step and calorie counts. It is lightweight and small enough to fit in your pocket.

However, the Yamax device does not have a backlight, nor does it have a way to access your information on a mobile device or computer. But a record of your daily activity, such as calories burned and steps walked, is kept for 30 days, and a record of your accumulated data last up to 30 weeks.

The Striiv Play stands out for the unique way it motivates users to be more active: The device's mobile app includes a game called MyLand, which is similar to Facebook's Farmville. Through your activity, you earn currency that you can use to build an island in the game. You can also play with your friends, even if they don't have Striiv Play.

Striiv Play also gives you virtual trophies and awards often, which can make you feel accomplished.

The device tracks steps, calories burned, distance walked, and also the number of stairs you climb. It is about the size of a peanut, and has a bright screen for great visibility. It works best for tracking light activity.

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Rachael Rettner

Rachael has been with Live Science since 2010. She has a masters degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology and a Master of Science in biology from the University of California, San Diego.